A civil protection official in Tunisia announced the recovery of 27 bodies of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries after two boats sank off the Tunisian coast while attempting to reach Europe.

The regional director of civil protection in Sfax, Ziad Sadiri, stated that “among the 27 bodies, there are women and children.”

A National Guard official also confirmed that around 110 migrants were aboard the two boats that left the coast near Sfax on the night of December 31 to January 1.